History Channel is gearing up to begin shooting the remake of the original mini-series “Roots”, and the production needs extras of all types and ages, any ethnicity. In addition to the extras casting call posted below, auditions are taking place in Los Angeles for starring, supporting, and other smaller speaking roles, submission instructions are posted below. Crew members can submit resumes to the production office email address. Shooting will take place in New Orleans from August 17, 2015 through December 20, 2015 with additional shooting taking place in South Africa. “Roots” will be simulcast on A&E, History and Lifetime in 2016.

Academy Award nominee Laurence Fishburne will play Alex Haley, the author of the novel “Roots: The Saga Of An American Family”, an American family origin story based around the life of Kunta Kinte. The new version is described as an original, contemporary production, incorporating more material from Haley’s novel, as well as carefully researched new scholarship of the time. Roots is described as a historical portrait of American slavery recounting the journey of one family’s will to survive, endure and ultimately carry on their legacy despite enormous hardship and inhumanity. Spanning multiple generations, the lineage begins with young Kunta Kinte who is captured in his homeland in The Gambia and transported in brutal conditions to colonial America where he’s sold into slavery. Throughout the series, the family continues to face adversity while bearing witness and contributing to notable events in U.S. history – including the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, slave uprisings and eventual emancipation.

The History Channel mini-series “Roots” need men, women, and children of all types and ethnicities to work as fully paid background extras and possible featured roles. No experience is necessary. Shooting will take place in New Orleans, LA and surrounding areas from mid-August, 2015 through December, 2015. Not everyone will be contacted right away, as the casting process will be ongoing throughout production. Do NOT call the casting office. Follow the submission instructions below carefully.

All actors, extras, and crew members must and be legally eligible to work in the state of Louisiana and in the United States. The 2015 Louisiana Actors Resource Guide eBook includes the following information and documents for adults, minors, and foreign talent who would like to work as an actor or extra on film and television productions in Louisiana and the United States:

To be considered for extra work, featured background, and stand-ins, please submit two recent color photos, one 1/2 length, and one from the chest up, no sunglasses or hats, and only you in the photo, standing in front of a light-solid-color-wall, and wear your hair down and natural. Include full name, location where you live (city and state), contact phone number, age, height, weight, all wardrobe sizes including shoe and hat. Also state whether or not you have reliable transportation. List any musical instruments that you play. Also feel free to include any previous experience as a stand-in. Adult extras will be asked to stop grooming. Please inform us in submission if you cannot commit. If you do not currently have grown out hair, please re-submit in time once your hair is grown out. Fittings will likely take place throughout the run of the shoot and not everyone will be cast immediately.

MEN: GROW HAIR ON HEAD and FACE Continuously: No modern haircuts such as Fades, military cuts, unnatural hair colors. Please note if you are NOT OKAY with receiving a haircut.

WOMEN: We will be casting females with NATURAL HAIR given the time period. We will not be hiring anyone with modern hairstyles/or colors. No highlights/or roots accepted. We do not currently know the length requirements. Please note if you are NOT OKAY with receiving a haircut.

EVERYONE: If you have visible piercings, braces, gold teeth or tattoos: Please make note when submitting if you have any of these. No well kempt nails on hands/no polish and no makeup.

Starring and supporting roles are mainly being cast through talent agents. You can find comprehensive listings and submission addresses for talent agents in all areas here. However, if you are not signed with an agent and wish to self-submit, I highly recommend that your 8×10 color headshot and resume along with the cover letter be sent in a 9 x 12 Clear Full Face Window Envelope with the photo visible in the window.

The casting directors address should be written in all capital letters on the solid side of the envelope, with the name of the project you are submitting for written directly above the casting directors name. IF the role that you are submitting for is available, it should also be written above the casting directors name.

Experienced television crew members and production staff can submit resumes to the following:

rootsresumes2015@gmail.com

ABSOLUTELY NO ACTOR OR EXTRAS SUBMISSIONS TO THIS EMAIL ADDRESS.

Production Companies:

Do NOT send photos and resumes to the production companies, as they will most likely end up being thrown away. They do not cast the films, rather they hire casting directors who sort through the thousands of submissions.

The CW Television Network series “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow” will begin shooting on September 9, 2015 in Vancouver, BC. The Casting Society of America Artios Award nominated casting director is now setting up auditions for new starring and recurring roles, in addition to guest starring and day player roles. Extras can register by email, and … Read More

The Golden Globe Award winning hit HBO series “Game of Thrones” is seeking men and women 25-40 years of age to work July 19, 2015 through July 22, 2015. Submission details are now posted below. In addition, auditions for recurring roles are taking place in London, England. David Benioff and D.B. Weiss are executive producers … Read More

The Golden Globe Award nominated AMC series The Walking Dead is now casting new starring roles, as well as additional zombies, all ages and ethnicities, for season 6. Also currently seeking the specific roles posted below. Darkwoods Productions, Circle of Confusion and Valhalla Entertainment have begun casting for The Walking Dead season 6. In addition … Read More

The ABC Discovers: Digital Talent Competition is now open for submissions from actors and comedians. As part of ABC Casting’s Summer of Discovery, this program gives talent the opportunity to win a $25,000 one-year talent holding contract with ABC, and a spot in either the New York or Los Angeles 2015 ABC Discovers: Talent Showcase. … Read More

The hit FX horror anthology television series “American Horror Story: Hotel” is now auditioning actors for additional new series regular roles, recurring roles, and guest starring roles. Talent submission information is posted below, along with extras registration, and television crew member details. Shooting on the fifth season will now take place in Los Angeles, CA … Read More

Industry leading casting directors Bill Marinella and Andrea Hume are holding two open casting calls for the hit Netflix series “House of Cards” season 4. All talent must be legally eligible to work in Baltimore, MD. Seeking the following (ages 18+ only), both union and non-union, to be core extras and featured background for season … Read More

The casting team for the upcoming live television broadcast Grease: Live are conducting a talent search for the role of Danny, with auditions taking place in Los Angeles and New York. Submission details are posted below. The role of Danny, made famous by John Travolta in the 1978 feature film version of Grease, is up … Read More

Nickelodeon is shooting a promotional video and this is an official casting call seeking talent of various ages to appear as principal actors. Both union and non-union actors can submit. Non-union talent who are cast will be Taft-Harley. All talent MUST be legally eligible to work in the entertainment industry in Seattle and the state … Read More

The NBC daytime drama series Days of Our Lives is seeking two male teens for new series regular contract roles. The show tapes in Burbank, CA at the NBC Studios. The start dates for these new roles will be in April, 2015. Days of Our Lives is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in … Read More

ABC Studios has given the green light for a new television series pilot called The Broad Squad, and an open casting call is scheduled seeking an actress for a principal role. Fake Empire and Kapital Entertainment is set begin shooting the ABC series pilot in Boston, MA. The show is a period female cop procedural … Read More

The hit FX Network television series American Horror Story is casting for Bohemian type female. Brad Falchuk Teley-Vision and Ryan Murphy Productions in association with 20th Century Fox Television are shooting on season 4 of American Horror Story: Freak Show. Currently the show needs a female Bohemian type. Filming takes place in New Orleans, Louisiana and … Read More

I have worked in the Entertainment Industry as long as I can remember. I have been a member of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists since 1985. I decided to create and maintain this blog in my spare time to help people who are interested in working as a performer in the Entertainment Industry. I hope the free information on this site can help you continue working as a professional actor, or help aspiring actors achieve your dream of working as an actor or extra in film and television.

-Alan Baltes

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